How much to live on

Savvy_Sue

Clowance said:

Might hire a campervan in Oz but not over keen on it other than saving on accomodation.

I think I'd definitely check out a campervan in the UK before committing to that idea. I know we've spent time in a caravan (static) a couple of times, and it's not an experience I'd rush to repeat. 

BooJewels

Funny how we all like different things - give me a static caravan over a cruise any day. 

I don't think I'd like one quite so much on a busy site, but we've always stayed in remote ones on farms etc., usually with their own garden and outdoor space and lovely views.  I'm still vaguely toying with the idea of buying my own once I can drive - it's one of my ideas on the back burner - it was something my husband and I had planned to do in our retirement.

Nebulous2

Savvy_Sue said:

Clowance said:

Might hire a campervan in Oz but not over keen on it other than saving on accomodation.

I think I'd definitely check out a campervan in the UK before committing to that idea. I know we've spent time in a caravan (static) a couple of times, and it's not an experience I'd rush to repeat. 

I've this theory that you need to be brought up to camping before you like it. We had some great family holidays caravanning when I was a child - including some of my earliest memories.

As an adult we have done just about everything possible, small tent, big tent, small caravan, big caravan, folding camper and self-build camper van. There are pluses and minuses for all of them, but getting older we've kind of settled on a towing caravan with a fixed bed. 

Yet for some people all of that seems like a nightmare, something to be endured rather than enjoyed. One of my offspring has a partner who simply refuses to go. 

Very much a 'marmite' thing, and another reminder that we are all different.  

blue.peter

Nebulous2 said:

Yet for some people all of that seems like a nightmare, something to be endured rather than enjoyed.

Yes, it definitely fall into the "nightmare" category for me. I went camping with the cubs and scouts as a boy, and hated it then. I wouldn't even consider a trip that doesn't involve a dry, warm bedroom with  solid walls and roof, and a bed with a mattress. Your child's partner is absolutely right to refuse to camp.

Nebulous2 said:

Very much a 'marmite' thing, and another reminder that we are all different.  

Yes!

Organgrinder

I'm not one for camping. However myself and Mrs O are off to a festival this year. 

What was I thinking!

Bravepants

We've just invested in a new tent; a Vango Air 450. A four man tent with enough space in the bedroom area for a king size inflateable bed!

Pat38493

Hmmm well my OH is looking for us to buy a caravan so I guess we will find out soon enough.  We have already done a few rental trips in motorhomes so we have a rough idea what it will be like.

Nebulous2

Pat38493 said:

Hmmm well my OH is looking for us to buy a caravan so I guess we will find out soon enough.  We have already done a few rental trips in motorhomes so we have a rough idea what it will be like.

Layout inside is crucial. Working out what you like, and what will work for you.

For example. A lot of new caravans have an L shaped lounge. Seats along the front and down one side towards the sink / draining board area. The other side is a wall for mounting a fairly large TV. We prefer a more traditional U shaped lounge. Seats along both sides and at the front. That means we can have a side each to stretch out, feet up and read a book. We don't watch TV in the caravan, so a TV wall is of no use.

I'm convinced some people get much less enjoyment than they should from a caravan, because they bought the wrong one for them. 

Sitting on a campsite in the South of France, sun shining, large pitch with it's own hedging, glass of wine, dog at my side, nice cyclepath into the nearest town, is about as good as life gets for me. 

Albermarle

Sitting on a campsite in the South of France, sun shining, large pitch with it's own hedging, glass of wine, dog at my side, nice cyclepath into the nearest town, is about as good as life gets for me. 

Possibly the fact you were in the South of France with the sun shining, puts a more positive spin on the caravanning experience.

My own very limited experience was crammed in one with the in laws in the UK with the usual variable weather. So have never since felt the urge to do it myself.

I always assumed it was mainly a cost saving measure, but when I was working I was surprised to meet some senior management/highly paid people who spent most of their holidays caravanning, so very much out of preference than need.

BooJewels

Maybe that's why I like it - my entire family were professional campers - in that they always did it with a certain style and level of comfort.  Growing up we travelled many thousands of miles across Europe with assorted tents and trailer tents and as my parents aged, they swapped for a motorhome instead - they went across Europe for 6 weeks in Switzerland in their 80s.

Since we lost both parents, I've been working through Dad's many thousands of slides from family holidays (he was a pro photographer and many of his 'tourism' shots were sold for jigsaws, holiday brochures etc and funded holidays) and it made my sister and I realise just how lucky we were as kids to see so much of the world and have those experiences. 

My grandparents took a Dormobile conversion to the US in 1966 and toured there for several weeks - it was so unusual that it was covered in the national press here.